GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

History: General Motors Corp. was formed in Delaware in 1916. It replaced General Motors Co., which was incorporated in 1908. With its takeover last year of Electronic Data Systems Corp., General Motors moved into computer services in addition to its other products.

History: Founded by Howard Hughes in 1932 to build airplanes, the company no longer makes aircraft. Hughes does about 80 percent of its business with the U.S. government. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has been owner since Hughes donated the company to the non-profit foundation in 1953. It put the company on the auction block in January.